Jim and I sat up in bed with the sheets covering us, embarrassed. I was embarrassed and I was also worried about losing my job.
"Ernie, I -" I tried to explain.
"Never mind," he said. "The two of you just get dressed and come downstairs. Katie, I want to talk to you when you get yourself proper."
Ernie shut the door behind him and allowed us some privacy to get dressed. Jim and I were both very awkward when we were getting dressed. We did so hurriedly and went down the stairs where Ernie was waiting on the couch. I sat across from him in one chair and Jim in the other chair.
"Katie, I hired you because I thought I could depend on you," Ernie spoke disappointedly. "I have no other choice but to fire you." His words stung in my ears.
"Jim, I have nothing really to say to you. You're an adult and you should've known better than to do it in my house while - I might add - Katie was supposed to be watching my son." He looked at both of us. "I want both of you to get out. Now."
We did as he said. Jim went to his car and drove on home and I walked on home next door. Luckily, when I got home, everyone was asleep and so I went to bed, depressed. The sex Jim and I had was extraordinary. Also, with the attraction and the respect I had for Ernie, I knew I had let him down. I knew he was right to fire me.
The next several days went by kind of roughly. I had to face my parents and tell them exactly why I had been fired. I saw Jim several times, but he felt guilty about my losing my job. I assured him it wasn't just him - it was me as well. We were both at fault. I should've known better. We were both down in the dumps. I had acted irresponsibly and was sad to lose not only my job, but my friendship with Ernie.
The week that followed was about the same. Shades of grey. But I got a call on a Thursday evening from Ernie. He said that he was sorry about the way things had turned out. I said the same. And I also said that I hoped we could still be friends. He agreed that we could be. Love thy neighbor.
So, about two weeks after the incident, Jim instructed me that the past was the past and that we were to hold our heads up high! We had made mistakes, yes, but, as he put it, "just because we're perverts, doesn't mean we're not human beings." I had to laugh at this remark. So, on Saturday night we went out to a fancy, Italian restaurant. He wanted to lift my spirits, I could tell.
It was a busy night and the only booth that had opened up was one of those big, horseshoe-shaped booths. I cuddled up to Jim, hanging onto his arm. He kissed me on the head. We talked about that embarrassing night.
"Well, one good thing I heard recently, though," I told him. "Ernie called me and all is forgiven. He still considers me a friend, he said, but says I just can't work for him anymore. But I'm glad we got back to a good place in our friendship."
The waitress came by and took our orders. We ordered and Jim and I continued our discussion.
"I'm glad you two are getting along so well, Baby." He paused. "You know, Kate, while the three of us were all sitting in his living room, I couldn't help but see that he had something for you. An attraction."
I was excited at his observation. Ernie was so very handsome. I was casual about it. "Oh I'm sure it was nothing," I said to him, reassuring him.
Life can work in funny ways sometimes. A man at the bar had just gotten off of his stool and was walking in our direction. It was Ernie! He stopped when he noticed us. With his shy, gentle nature, I thought he would be embarrassed to run into us, but he was not. He smiled at us.
"Hi Katie, Hi Jim."
We smiled and said hello.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him.
"Well, I had a date, but she stood me up. The story of my life," he laughed.
"Have you had anything to eat yet?" Jim asked him.
"No, but I'm starving."
I smiled. "Well, why don't you join us, Ernie?"
Ernie agreed to join us at the table. Jim, surprisingly, had no problem with Ernie joining us on our date. Jim seemed in a good mood, as did Ernie. As for me, I was not in a good mood. I was in a heavenly mood. I was wearing the tightest, shortest, glittering, most low-cut dress I owned and to my right was my handsome boyfriend Jim, and to my left was my very gentlemanly, but very sexy neighbor, Ernie.
Ernie ordered and we all had a barrel of laughs, poking fun at each other at the little incident that had occurred. Ernie playfully scolded us for "diddling" at a place of work. And Jim rested his hand on my thigh.
"Can you really blame me?" Jim asked. "Look at her."
By this time the food had been brought to our table and we had been eating now and then, but what I noticed most of all is that, while Jim was already very close to me, Ernie was starting to move close to me as well. We each had had a little wine, and while we were nowhere near drunk, we were more easygoing than we normally may have been.
Ernie inhaled sharply. "No, I can't blame you, Jim. She's a very fine lady."
"Now boys, boys," I giggled. "Control yourselves," I said, putting each hand on one of their thighs.
